The present invention relates to a solar energy heater and more specifically to a solar heater for heating a fluid.
A considerable number of solar fluid heating devices presently exist. The existing devices are found to have various deficiencies preventing optimum conversion of solar energy to a useful level of heat energy.
W. J. Bailey in U.S. Pat. No. 966,070 teaches the construction of solar panels by attaching the fluid carrying conduit along substantially a single line of physical contact by means of soldering or the like. This single and narrow contact limits the heat transfer between the solar panel surface and the conduit. Further teachings provide forming the solar panels upward from the lower center line of the conduit. This "cuping" of the conduit within the solar panel limits the maximum solar exposure of the panel to a nearly direct perpendicular sun to panel positionally relationship, thus when the sun is off the perpendicular the conduit will shield the panel from direct solar exposure. Bailey fails to teach an adjacent contact between the various solar panels so that all solar panels will have a uniform heat transfer therebetween to insure a uniform heating of the entire plurality of side by side solar panels to prevent cold spots.
The T. B. Modine U.S. Pat. No. 2,274,492, teaches connecting a flat panel to the conduit along a single surface contact area leaving substantially all of the conduit free from solar panel contact and thus preventing uniformly heating of its entire outer surface.
The S. Andrassy U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,453, teaches the use of a plastic conduit enclosed in a channel in a flat metal panel. The patent fails to teach the necessity of a tight physical connection between the channels of the panel and the plastic conduit or any means for maintaining a sufficient degree of physical pressure therebetween to insure a maximum heat transfer between the panels and the outer surface of the plastic conduit. The plastic used in the construction of the conduit is not considered a good heat conductor but rather a poor heat insulator, thus lack of physical pressure between the solar panels mentioned and lack of conduction between the metal panel and the plastic conduit combine to make an inefficient solar liquid heater.
These and various other problems were not satisfactorily resolved until the emergence of the instant invention.